1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to medical diagnostic apparatus for introducing a high intensity light beam into a fiber optic cable.
2. Description of Related Art
Fiber optic cable illumination apparatus is used for medical diagnostic purposes wherein a focused lamp supplies light to an optic cable interface. Such devices operate most efficiently when the proper lamp is properly focused. However, present units permit improper lamps to be substituted during lamp replacement. Additionally, present illumination apparatus requires manual electrical connections be made during lamp replacement necessitating a higher degree of skill by the operator than is desirable.
Fiber optic systems are known to have inefficient light introduction interfaces due to the spaces between the fibers which contribute little to the interface when the light source impinges directly upon them. Also, due to the contour of the light beam impinging on the flat, planar fiber ends, an effect known as Newtonian ring interference causes rings of color light to appear at the cable output which reduces the illumination quality of the cable bundle. Known illumination apparatus have not effectively overcome this phenomenon.